By TC News Desk
Agartala, 9th September 2024: Bikash Tripura’s vision of becoming an education hub remains unrealized, with growing frustration among students and parents over unaddressed issues in schools. The promises of the “double engine” government seem far from reality, as district, sub-divisional, and block-level education officers have been criticized for their inaction, with many comparing them to the blindfolded figure of Dhritarashtra, turning a blind eye to pressing problems.
The simmering discontent boiled over on Monday morning, when students from North Kalamchoura Chhatiantila School, under the Boxanagar block staged a protest to demand the resolution of ongoing issues at their institution. The protest took a dramatic turn when students locked two teachers in the school library before blocking the Boxanagar-Sonamura road at around 11 a.m. The roadblock, which lasted three hours, caused significant disruption, with hundreds of bikes and cars stranded, and pedestrians facing difficulties as a result.
speaking on condition of anonymity one of the protesting students said, “We are left with no choice. Our problems have been ignored for too long. There are only six teachers for 165 students, but we hardly ever see all of them. Sometimes only two teachers show up, and some haven’t been here for months.”
The Block Education Officer (BEO) and security personnel eventually arrived at the scene to disperse the protest. The BEO urged the students to submit their grievances in writing, promising that the issues would be addressed. However, students and parents alike remain skeptical. “We’ve submitted complaints before, but nothing changes. This time, we want action, not empty promises,” said one of the parents present at the protest.
Key among the grievances is the alleged misconduct of several teachers. The students singled out teacher Rishika, who they claim has not attended school for two months. “Rishika Madam just doesn’t care about the rules. She hasn’t been to school in two months, and no one in the department seems to care,” said one frustrated student.
Accusations have also been leveled against head teacher Shanta Moni Debbarma and another teacher Abdul Momin. The students are demanding the immediate transfer of both. “The headmistress, Shanta Moni, runs the mid-day meal program however she pleases, without regard for government rules. The condition of the mid-day meal kitchen is so bad, it’s a health hazard,” said another protesting student.
Moreover, serious allegations have been made against Abdul Momin, who has been accused of inappropriate behavior towards female students. “He talks obscenely to us. We don’t feel safe around him,” shared a female student, voicing the concerns of many others.
The students only ended their protest after being assured that their complaints would be addressed. However, they have vowed to resume and intensify their movement if swift action is not taken. “This is just the beginning. If the department doesn’t act, we will launch a bigger protest soon,” warned one of the student leaders.
Now, all eyes are on the education department, waiting to see how they respond to the mounting pressure from students and parents in Kalamchoura. Will the administration finally take concrete steps, or will this be another instance of promises unfulfilled? The future of education in Bikash Tripura hangs in the balance.
